Big change for McLaren before Dutch GP as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri get a helpful boost
McLaren has made an important move just days before the Dutch Grand Prix that could help both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Even though Norris won his first championship in 2025, he’s currently fifth in the 2026 standings after 11 races, with three podium finishes and one win at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
His teammate, Piastri, also had a great 2025, finishing third behind Max Verstappen and Norris. But like Norris, Piastri has found it tough to match last season’s form and is currently seventh in the standings, still waiting for his first win this year.
McLaren decided to add more upgrades to their MCL40 car after already improving it before the Hungarian Grand Prix. These updates could really boost both drivers’ chances.
Before the Hungary race, McLaren upgraded the floor and other parts, which helped Norris win on that high-downforce track.
They’ll bring even more upgrades for the Zandvoort race to “complete the package introduced in Hungary.” McLaren confirmed they will add a new rear wing and rear brake ducts. Neil Houldey, McLaren’s technical director for applied engineering, shared how these updates might help at the Dutch Grand Prix.
“We’re heading into Zandvoort after a win and strong race before the break, but the competition is tight and reliability is key,” said Houldey. “We’ve learned a lot about how to drive the car for better performance and how to manage earlier issues this season.
“We’ve worked hard to keep improving, especially with new parts this weekend focusing on the rear, to finish what we started in Hungary. But other teams will also bring upgrades, so it will be a tough race. Our goal is to get the most out of the car and stay in the fight with the top teams.
“With 12 races left in this challenging second half of the season, the team is fully focused on developing the car and improving consistency to get even better results with the MCL40.”
Right now, McLaren sits third in the Constructors’ Championship with 220 points, behind Mercedes by 159 points and Ferrari by 87 points.